blackmattersus.com
You became very famous due to the filming of the death of Eric Garner and this act has changed the lives of many people and your life as well. How did the idea to film what happened come to you?
Ramsey Orta
Well, previously before Eric’s video, I was filming police brutality.
blackmattersus.com
Were you involved in the Black Lives Matter movement before that day?
Ramsey Orta
I wasn’t involved in any organization, I didn’t even have any clue of any of these organizations until my video occurred and then I didn’t join an organization which was WeCopWatch until September of 2015.
blackmattersus.com
As we know, you’ve faced charges and you’ve been sentenced. What do you think, how did the police department get the opportunity to get their revenge on you and why do you think this is happening now?
Ramsey Orta
I can’t answer that.
blackmattersus.com
Was the trial a difficult one? How was your defense?
Ramsey Orta
As far as I know, everything was being done behind closed doors. I go to court, stand there for 2 minutes and then I leave.
blackmattersus.com
So what are you going to do now?
Ramsey Orta
I’m going to jail, October 3rd, for 4 years.
blackmattersus.com
We’re really sorry about that. But did Black Lives Matter help you through the trial and did they do anything to support you?
blackmattersus.com
Do you need any help right now with lawyers, organizing protests, and stuff like that?
Ramsey Orta
Right now, as far as any help, I’m accepting donations because I’m not trying to eat any food when I go in there so I need money for my commissary and things like that. And pretty much anybody can get all my information on how to support me and keep in contact on my website at www.ramseyorta.info.
blackmattersus.com
This reminds me, we understand that there was an attempted poisoning incident in which you were involved. Could you elaborate more on that?
Ramsey Orta
Yeah, the rat poisoning. This was done when I was over there in Rikers Island and one day, rat poison ended up in my food so I stopped eating and I went on a hunger strike.
blackmattersus.com
How has the police been treating you? We understand that you’ve been harassed several times since you took the video. Could you give us some examples of these incidents?
Ramsey Orta
Yeah. As far harassment goes, after they had already got me with all these charges, it started to be like, they would do scare tactics and things like that, follow me and wave me down and put spotlights in my window, harass my child’s mother, harass friends and family that were coming out of my house, and that was pretty much it. I left after that. I’ve been hanging in the West Coast.
blackmattersus.com
Your video has really changed lives and brought a lot of conversation concerning police brutality. If you found yourself in a similar situation, would you do the same things? Would you take a video again?
Ramsey Orta
Oh yes, of course!
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